Electric welding machine



May 17g 1949- l.. J. GQTTSQHALK 2,470,552

ELECTRIC WELDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28', 1945 INVENTOR MQAM Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES @ATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC WELDING MACHINE Lionel J. Gottschalk, New Orleans, La.

Application February 2,8, 1945, Serial No. 580,130

(Cl. B19-4) 6 Claims.

My invention relates to electric welding inachines. ln electric pressure welding, the material which is to be welded must be subjected to pressure at the moment that the heating current passes through the two pieces which are to be welded. In order to obtain a good weld, it is desirable that a pre-determined pressure be applied and that this pressure come within a relatively small margin of the pressure which has been determined to be theI most effective. If the pressure is lower than this range, the parts will not cchere suiiciently to make a good weld, while if higher, the surface of the material will be marred.

An object therefore of this invention is to einbody in an electric welding machine a combination oi elements consisting of a pressure applying electrode, an opposed xed electrode, and resiliently urged means associated with the Fixed electrode ior eiocting a recurrent pre-determined pressure when pressure is applied to the material as it is being welded between the electrodes. Another object is to provide means for adjusting or varying ne pre-determined pressure. ln carrying out 'his concept of invention, I have found the most ilective construction is to provide a compression .pring associated with the fixed electrode and means resiliently urged by the spring beyond the or the xed electrode.

The novel features which i believe to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. rEhe invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. l is a View in section on the line I--I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a view substantially in section on the line l-II of Fig. l with the outline oi a machine arm shown in dash lines.

Fig. 3 is a View corresponding in general to Fig. l, but showing a modified form of construction of parts adjacent to the tip of the fixed electrode.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates a pressure applying electrode which may be operated by any convenient means or by any means well known in the art of electric welding and therefore not necessary to show since such means constitute no part of this invention. A nxed electrode 2 having a tip 3 is mounted in proper' relation to the electrode I. For illustrative purposes, the electrode 2 is shown below the elec` trede I. It is obvious, however, that without changing the principle of this invention, the electrede 2 might be positioned above the electrode I, and also that the two electrodes might be positioned horizontally. Also that they might be placed at any desired angle to the vertical or horizontal, provided they are kept in alinement with each other and with the proper spacing between their tips.

The numeral 4 designates the customary arm oi a welding machine. A cylinder 5 is provided with flanges t for attachment to the arm 4 by means of screw bolts 'I passing through these flanges and into threaded holes in the arm. An end portion of the cylinder 5 is enlarged as indicated at 8. A curved member 9 is secured at one end to the enlargement 8 by one or more screw bolts l0. The electrode 2 is iixedly secured to the other end of the member 9 by a clamping bolt I I.

A sleeve i2 having an insulative lining I3 surrounds an end portion of the electrode 2 and projects up through an opening in the arm 4 ben yond the electrode tip 3. The other end of the sleeve i2 is provided with an external ange Ill which not only ts slidably in the bore of the cylinder 5 but is adapted to engage an internal stop flange I5 formed at the end of the cylinder A spindle-like member I6 has external threads engaged with internal threads of the enlargement il. A spring lI is interposed between the ilange and a disk I3 placed at the inner end of I'i. The disk iS has an insulated lining I9 around the electrode 2 while the member I6 is provided with insulative lining 20. Opposite the disk I8 the nber i6 has an external flange which is shown with holes 2i drilled into its periphery. This member it may be screwed more or less into the enlargement 8 by turning it either in the hand or by means of a rod 22 inserted into one of the holes iii It is obvious therefore that adjustment may be ina-de to increase and decrease' the force exerted by the spring Il and to provide for work having different characteristics.

In the modied construction oi Fig. 3, parts of the device which are the same as those in Fig. 1 are not duplicated. The fixed electrode member 2' is secured in the same manner while the sleeve t is resiliently urged in the same manner as previously described. However, as shown in Fig. 3, a thimble or cap 23 is screwed to the end of the sleeve l2 having insulative lining I3'. A rod-like member 2d, which serves as a movable extension for the fixed electrode member 2', is securely fastened to the thimble 23 and is surrounded by insulation 25. A chamber 26 is located between this insulation and the thimble 23. Passageways 2'! and 28 lead into and out of the chamber 2S for providing circulation of cooling liquid.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be obvious in connection with the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing. When the pressure applying electrode l is advanced to bring it into contact with one side of the material to be welded, the sleeve l2 is retracted in opposition to the force exerted by the spring l'l until the, other side of the material comes into contact with the tip of the fixed electrode 2. The result is that a pre-determined presure, which must be of sucient force to overcome the resistance of the spring Il by depressing the sleeve l2 is applied to the material as it is being welded between the electrodes. vFor successive welding operations, the pre-determinedpressure is recurrently applied unless changed for work of different character. By turning thespindle member l5 in or out withl relation to the enlarged portion: of the lcylinderai,- the pre-determined pressure may be readily adjusted Ior varied to make it such as hasbeen determined-to be the mostelective for the particular material.

l ,In :regard .tothe modiiication Ishown in Fig. 3, whenfthe.pressureapplying electrode is advanced to .bring .it into contactfwithf-one side of the material to be welded, the sleeve-12' carrying with it the rod member24 is retracted in opposition4 to thev force exertedby the spring until the membery24 comes into contact with the tip of the fixed electrodemember 2. This action causes theprefdetermined pressure: to be applied for welding While the circulating liquid cools the member 24 -and .the thimble 23.

I claim:

. 1. In an. electricwelding machine, the combination of a pressure. applying electrode member, a iixedelectrodemember in alinement therewith, a ymovable non-.current conducting memberin spaced relation. to said xed Velectrode member, and a resilient lmember tending to urge said movable member forwardly whereby` the work is subjected to predetermined pressure when a circuit is establishedthrough the. work upon forward movement of said .pressure applying electrode.

2. In anelectrc welding machine, vthe combination of a pressure applying electrode, a fixed electrode .in alinement therewith, a slidably mounted sleeve surrounding said xed electrode and insulated therefrom, and a spring engaging the rear end ofv said sleeve for urging its forward end beyond the tip of said fixed electrode wherebythe work is subjected to predetermined pressure ,when a circuit is established through the workK upon forward movement of the rst mentioned electrode.

V3 In an electric Welding machine, the combinatio'n of a pressure applying electrode, a fixed electrodein` alinement therewith, a sleeve surrounding said fixed electrode and insulated therefrom, the rear end of said sleeve having an external flange, a cylinder in which said ilange is external flange on the rear end of said sleeve adapted -to `slide in said cylinder, an annular member adjustably mounted in said cylinder and spaced from said flange, a spring interposed ,between said .annular member and said flange tending to urge the forward end of said sleeve beyond the tip of said fixed electrode, and an internal stop ange in said cylinder adapted to be engaged ,by Isaid first mentioned harige.

5.,In` van `electric welding machinathe .combination of a 'pressure applying; electrode, va fixed electrode .member in` alinementl therewith, a slidably :mounted sleeve insulatively surrounding said ixed ,electrode member, aspring. engaging the Arear end of said` sleeve vfor .urgingits forwardend beyond thetip of `.said fixed electrode member, and a .rod insulatively- VSecured to the vforwardx end of said. sleeve to. ser-ve vas an extension Of. said xed electrode member when said sleeve is in retracted position.

6. In an electricV welding machine, the Icombination of aj .pressure applying electrode, a fixed electrode member ,in yalinement therewith, a slidablymounted sleeve insulatively surrounding said xed relectrode member,` aspring engaging the rearendofsaid sleeve for, urging its forward end beyondthetip rof said xedelectrode member, a thimble Secured tothe projecting end ofsaid sleeve, -and` a rod insulativelyv secured to said thimblel to serve as. an.` extensionofsaidxed electrode 1member when said sleeve is in retracted POSQn LIONEL, J.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are-ot record inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number .Name Date 896,218 i Lachman I Aug. 1x8, A1908 1,344,415 Longacre J unev 22, 19.20 1,670,699 Weed May 22, 1928 2,045,523 .Fassler June 23, 1936 2,272,968 Dyer !1Eeb..^10,A 1.942 2,370,009 Clark et al. Feb... 20, 1945 IfOREIGN PATENTS Number Country ...Date

458,197 Great Britain D,eo.15, 19,36 

